Diving apparatus for submarine work.



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M. BEMBINA & L. DURAND. DIVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE WORK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1912.

1,085,009. Patented Jan. 20, 1914 I WITNESSES INVENTORS ATTORNEYSMELGHIORRE BEMBINA AND LEONE DURAND, 0F PALERMO, ITALY.

DIVING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE WORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 20, 1914.

Application fi1ed September 20, 1912. Serial No. 721,376.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, MELGHIORRE BEM- BINA andLEONE DURAND, both subjects of the King of Italy, and residents ofPalermo, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Diving Apparatus for Submarine Work, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and complete specification.

The present invention refers to a diving apparatus for submarine workformed by a hull mounted upon four wheels, which works like a smallsubmarine boat designed to perform submarine explorations as well assubmarine searches and work, and which hereinafter will be referred toas a microsubmarine boat.

The invention consists in means for equalizing the pressure near thedivers wrists, especially when the micro-submarine has to reach a greatdepth. These means consist in two large india rubber bags, filled withair and subjected to the pressure of the water, which bags are connectedto the hull, and which by means of tubes blow compressed air into theinsulated chambers provided near the divers wrists. Before disclosingthe said improvements, it will be convenient to briefly describe thegeneral arrangementand shape of the micro-submarine.

In order to fully understand the specification, reference is to be hadto the appended drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the submarne in a prostrate position; Fi 2 is a partial cross section of thespherica joints.

The micro-submarine boat substantially comprises two portions, namelythe metallic hull which shelters the diver, and the outside frame whichincloses the same and which is provided with four spherical wheels; theapparatus is also provided with means securing its connection with thetug boat.

The metallic hull 1) has a suitable shape and a sufficient width forcontaining a man; it is divided into three portions, namely in the upperportion 1-, or helmet, in which stands the divers head, 1n the middleportion 2-, or body chamber, where are and move the arms, and in thehind or stern portion 3-, in which stand the legs of the diver. The hullis provided with tubes, which communicate with the tug-boat in order toestablish inside the submarine the atmospheric pressure as well as tosupply fresh air to the diver. The body chamber 2- is provided with twoball oints, through which pass, perfectly airtight, the forearms of thediver, whose hands, if necessary, must work in the Water, and moreoverit contains also the pressure compensating device according to thepresent invention.

The frame (Fig. 1) consists of three rings 8 securing the connectionwith the metallic body, of two lateral tubes 9, and of four sphericalwheels, of which the two rear wheels 10 have rigid axles placedperpendicularly to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the apparatus,while the axles of the front wheels 11 are revolving around journalsforming right angles with the said axles, for the purpose of controllingthe direction of the submarine; these axles are caused to move by thediver, who with his hands projecting from the ball joints acts upon anappropriate crankl2 connected to the connecting rods -13 (Fig. 1).

The grasping device in the body chamber comprises two circular holes(Fig. 1) at both sides of the plane of symmetry. In these holes areformed the seats 16 showing internally a spherical surface; in each ofthem fits exactly a sphere 17, (Fig. 2) which is perfectly air-tight andmay turn in any direction. Each sphere has a cylindrical boring -18capable of receiving the divers forearm. Inside this boring slides in aperfectly air-tight manner a ring 19, from which starts an india rubbercuff 20 which ends at the armlet 2l formed by two semi-oval bands whichby suitable means are hermetically fastened around the divers wrist. Bymeans of two bent rods -22- the armlet 21 is linked to the sliding ring19; the travel of this ring is stopped within the boring 18- by means ofthe rings 23 at the inner ends of the spheres 17 and the shoulders 23 atthe outer ends of said spheres. On the inner edge of the seats 16 isfastened the edge of an india rubber sleeve 2%, which is strengthened bya metallic armature -25, and ends at the armlet 2l.

In the diving apparatus described, the double connecting system of thebody chamher with each of the armlets fixed around the divers wrist, isthe only weak point of the whole structure from which danger may arisewhen the pressure becomes excessive, the whole hull being strongly builtof metal, except the cuff 20 and the aforesaid sleeve 2 t-. As alreadystated, the sleeve -24s is strengthened by a metallic armature, but thecuff --2O- cannotbe strengthened, as otherwise would be diminished itsflexibility which is indispensable for enabling the diver to move hishands. Between the cuff 20 and the sleeve is left a chamber 26-which isseparated both from the outer liquid mass and from the inner space of,the hull. The pressure inside this chamber, and consequently upon thecalf 20, is originally the atmospheric pressure; however, the same mayvary and varies through the shiftingof the divcrs hand. In practicethere may be rather a diminution, instead of an increase of ressureowing to the fact that the fastening of the armlet is carried out whenthe hand has already been stretched outside. The exterior pressureexerted upon the cuff -20? is, on. the contrary, higher than theatmospheric pressure, when the diving apparatus is submersed, andvincreases considerably when the hull is caused to reach great depths, Itensues that upon the cuff --20 acts prevaljently the pressure of thewater, which may cause the same to break. This must be avoided at anyrate, because, as already stated, the double connecting system, that isto say the sleeve and the cult, is of greatest importance for the safetyof the diver. This object is attained in the following way:

iigainst the body chamber 2, on the opposite side of the spheres of theball joints, are placed one near to the other (Fig. 1) two india rubberbags 2 7 (in the drawing is shown but one). Each of these bags isinclosed within casings 28-, which, in the middle portion have a. cylindrical shape, while at the two ends they are shaped conically; thecasings are fastened tothe said body chamber by means of metallic straps29 and belts -30. The conically shaped ends 31 are provided with holesallowing of the water to bear against the rubber bags, which under thevariable pressure of the water freely extend or contract within thecasings. These bags by means of the tubes -32 communicate through thegrooves 33- provided in the spherical zones 16- with the chambers 26.The inner pressure, which is that of the compressed air coming from thebags, is necessarily equal to the outer pressure of the water;consequently, the pressures exerted upon the end 20 are compensated.

Having now fully described this our invention, and how the same is to becarried out, we declare that what we claim is:

1. A diving apparatus comprising a body chamber, two ball joints formedby spheres revolving within stationary spherical zones, each of the saidspheres having a cylindrical boring, for the passage of the forearm ofthe diver, and each ball joint being provided with an armlet designed tobe secured to the divers wrist, a ring sliding in the cylindricalboring, an india rubber cuff fastened to one edge to the armlet, andwith the other edge fastened to the sliding ring, and an india rubbersleeve connected with one of its end edges to the said armlet, and withthe other tothe stationary spherical zone, in which turns the sphere ofthe joint, this sleeve being strengthened by a metallic armature.

2. A diving apparatus comprising a body chamber, two ball joints formedby spheres revolving within stationary spherical zones, each of the saidspheres having a stationary cylindrical boring, through which passes theforearm of the diver, and each ball joint being provided with an armletdesigned to be secured to the divers wrist, an india rubber cuff, and anindia rubber sleeve strengthened by a. metallic armature, both of thembeing fastened to the armlet and to the ball, two indiarubber bags, eachof which is placed within a. metallic casing cvlindrically shaped in themiddle portion and conically shaped at the two ends, these conicallyshaped ends having holes for the admission of the water, means forconnecting the casings with the body chamber, and means for establishingcommunication between the bags and spheres.

3. A diving apparatus comprising a body chamber, two ball joints, eachball joint being provided with an armlet to be secured to the diverswrist, a cuff, and a strengthened sleeve, a separated chamber placedbetween the aforesaid cuff and sleeve, a groove provided in thesphericalzone which is the seat of the ball joint, and communicating with theaforesaid chamber, two india rubber bags, two metallic casingscontaining the said bags and partially provided with holes for theadmission of the water, means for connecting the two casings to the bodychamher, and a tube for each bag which establishes communication betweenthe bag and the aforesaid groove.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in the presence oftwowitnesses.

MELOl-IIORRE BEMBINA. LEONE DURAND.

W itnesses COLOMBO VALENTINO, BRAUCALEONE G. Bn'rrnsrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eactnby addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

